Nature Boy
by Moofy-Fan
Summary: Fletcher has always respected his brother and done what he says. As far as he knows, at least. Fletcher lives his own life in his own unique, passive aggressive way.


Hello all. I recently rewatched the Russell and Fletcher episodes and decided that they have a painfully low amount of non-yoai fics, and nothing against that, I just felt like writing one. Plus Fletcher is adorable and simply needs more fics, period.

This is the first time I've actually tried to write a story from a characters POV. I always do third person limited, but decided that I should probably practice other ways too. Anyway, here's the story.

Nature Boy

Daddy left for work again. He always seems sad now a days, but I don't really know what to do about it. He's gone now anyway, so maybe Russell will play with me

"Russell, play please? I'm bored," I asked, but Russell shook his head. Russell _never_ plays with me anymore. He's always reading, like now. I can't understand those books though, they have pretty pictures, but the words make no sense. I'm pretty sure that Russell only read them for the pictures anyway.

"Not now Fletcher, I'm studying," Russell said, so I just walk away. I can't even try to study the pretty picture books with Russell, even though that would be funner then playing alone, because daddy doesn't like it when I do for some reason. He doesn't really want Russell to read them either, but there isn't any stopping him. He doesn't listen. I wont read them though, if it'll keep him happy.

He always seems so sad now a days, maybe if I listen to him it will make him happier.

* * *

><p>It was a year later when Daddy left for work and didn't come back. We still get money from his job though, so mommy only had to get a part time job in order to keep everything the same.<p>

Once Daddy was gone Russell made sure to keep up with everything he used to do, which included keeping me away from the picture books, which are actually called Alchemy books. I learned that when I turned six and Russell yelled at me for calling them picture books. Anyway, I'm not allowed to read them, but Russell still does. He says they were a big part of Daddy's work, and he's going to become an alchemist (that's what daddy was, apparently) when he grows up just like him.

It makes mommy happy when Russell talks like that, but I'm not suppose to, so instead I just help mommy in the garden. That makes her happy too, and I really like the plants. They grow so fast, and in the spring they get all these pretty flowers, and after that the flowers can turn into food. I told Russell that that was more useful them a bunch of circles, but he said that once he becomes an alchemist he'll be able to make any food at all with the circles, not just fruit and stuff.

I'm not sure if he was lying or not, because I've never seen anyone actually do alchemy, but Russell says he wasn't. Russell says a lot of things though, but mommy says that I should respect my big brother, so I guess he was telling the truth.

* * *

><p>I know Russell says that I'm not allowed to learn alchemy, dad didn't like it when I tried, but it was a year ago when mom took Russell to the doctor for a bad cold he'd had for the last week. I was really bored and alone. I know I couldn't understand the books when I saw five, but I was seven then, surely I could understand it now, if Russell could. He's only two years older then me.<p>

I guess I know now why Russell always has his nose in a book. Well, not completely. I think he does it to be like dad, but I don't really remember much about him, he was always at work, and I was pretty little. I like it because it's like a really complicated puzzle, I've always liked puzzles.

Anyway, I just did my first real transmutation! Really! _Russell_ hasn't even done a successful transmutation yet, and he's ten. I'm eight! It was probably just a fluke, there's no way I'm better then Russell, he studies so much more than me. I can only do it when no one else in around. Like now. Mom is taking Russell over to a friend's house, so I decided that it wouldn't hurt to try.

I wish I could show somebody. It's nothing special, really. I just turned a rock into the shape of a leaf. An _oak_ leaf, so it has all those spiked ends that an oak leaf has, but it's still kind of lumpy.

I'm not suppose to learn alchemy though, so I can't. Instead I hid the rock under my mattress, since mom should be back soon, and put the alchemy book away. I bet it would make mom happy if she could see that I could learn alchemy too, but she always says I should respect Russell, so I will.

As far as he knows, at least.

* * *

><p>Russell now considers himself a certified alchemist. Sure, he's only twelve, but last year we heard this story about a twelve year old who joined the military as a state alchemist and Russell nearly had a heart attack. It was all he would talk about for weeks, not that I minded much. It definitely interested me too. Apparently he has a little brother too, who does alchemy. I wish I could meet him one day.<p>

Russell still doesn't know that I'm an alchemist too. It wasn't long after my first transmutation that Russell did his as well. He made a spike grow out of the kitchen floor. Mom was… happy and not happy at the same time. The kitchen floor is still a little wavy from when he tried to transmute it back to normal. He's gotten a lot better since then though. He's been going over our father's old notes. Apparently he was working on something called red water. Needless to say, Russell has been glued to them.

I haven't really looked at it much. I'm not really interested in that kind of alchemy. I like plant alchemy. I practice it in the garden a lot. Mom can't quite explain why the flowers have been bigger and brighter and the harvests been much more successful the past few years. I think she has a idea though, but she hasn't said anything. She'll just look at me knowingly whenever we have to pick the fruits and vegetables.

* * *

><p>Russell's taking us to a town called Xenotime. Apparently it's where father was from, and there's someone there continuing his research on the red water Russell has been obsessed over for the past two years. Russell had been furious when he found out, feeling that someone was going to steal the credit for the research father had devoted his entire life to. I understand how he must be feeling, but… this still doesn't feel right.<p>

Russell wants to pretend to be the full metal alchemist when we get there. I'm going to play the little brother. Russell said his name's Alphonse. He says it's the only way someone will let a couple of kids work on something this important and complicated.

The funny thing is, Russell _still_ doesn't know I'm an alchemist. Before we left, he explained to me the very basics of alchemy, just so I could keep up the act, and said that he'll try and make it so that I wont ever have to do any. I can just help him in the lab. I don't know why I just don't tell him. He clings so hard to anything that reminds him of dad, and keeping me away from alchemy is one of them.

I just hope this works. We don't really have a home anymore. Last year, mother died in a car crash walking home from her part time job. It was so sudden… I don't really like talking or thinking about it. Russell doesn't either. We just kind of pretend that we only left, and she's still back at the house.

I guess we're going to be doing a lot of pretending from now on.

* * *

><p>Mugear accepted us to work rather quickly. He didn't even do that much of a background check. As soon as we told him we were the Elric brothers and that we were interested in the red water, he didn't ask any more questions.<p>

We've been working here for a few months now. We have to wear these facemasks all the time because the red water is so toxic. Russell spends almost all his waking time in the lab, only taking breaks to eat and go around the town a bit, helping out the public with his alchemy in order to help keep up his act as the famous 'hero of the people.' I wonder what the real Edward and Alphonse Elric would do if they found out what we were doing? Xenotime is such a rundown little town though, surely they wouldn't ever come here. That's what Russell says, at least.

I've started a little side project for the red water though. It doesn't involve alchemy. Much… At least not enough that Russell would notice. I've been attempting the purify the red water with plants. If it wasn't so toxic then we could try so much more with it. Plus, the people in the town are always so sick I have a bad feeling that it's because of the red water but… Russell is so dedicated. Even if I were to say something, he wouldn't listen to me.

After all, _I_ don't even know alchemy.

* * *

><p>I knew it was going to happen eventually. I asked Russell if we could just give this whole thing up already, but he wouldn't listen. The real Elric brothers came to town and sunk into Mugear's mansion. Russell fought the real Edward, who was a lot shorted then we expected, and Russell teased him for it. I almost wanted to remind him about how he used to practically worship the full metal alchemist and how he was 'going to be just like him!' Heh, I guess he took that a little too seriously.<p>

I look nothing like the real Alphonse. At least, I don't think I do. He's so tall though, and wears full body armor. I have no clue how anyone could mistake me for him. We really are lucky Mr. Mugear didn't doubt us.

We wont be for long though, but Russell wont listen to reason. He says no one will believe them, but what if they go to Mugear himself? And I… I've had it with this red water. It's definitely making the people in this town sick, but Russell says we're so close. There isn't any getting through to him. I just don't know what to do.

* * *

><p>The real Alphonse Elric is really nice. I even ended up telling him my real name, something I haven't done in such a long time. We talked after I brought some medicine for him when he was kicked out for being a liar. That made me feel even more guilty, but he didn't seem mad. He just said that he figured we had our own reason.<p>

His family is apparently a lot like mine, only opposite. His brother hates his dad, while that is obviously not the case with Russell. He told me that I should try to talk to my brother if I think something is wrong. I tried to, really, but he wouldn't even look at me! I couldn't.

I hear something in the tunnel where the red water flows. Russell is doing something in another lab, apparently it's really important. It's the chamber where we've been pressuring the red water, so I can only imagine.

I'm going to go check it out, if it's Ed and Al trying to break in again, it can't be good if they're in that part of the mansion, and I want to get to them before Russell does.

* * *

><p>I was right. It was Ed and Al. Ed had passed out from the toxins, but somehow Al was just fine. He said it was probably the armor filtering it out a bit. I guess that makes sense, it's the only explanation I can think of.<p>

Ed had yelled at me, not that I blame him. He had a right to be mad at us, with everything we've been doing. I told them everything about what the red water was doing, and Ed was going to destroy the lab, which I wouldn't of tried to stop at all, but the Russell came…

They started fighting again, and then Russell decided to do something insane! I can't believe he would even think about trying to _spray_ someone with that poison! Edward decided to be just as insane and let it happen though.

I don't really remember what I was thinking other then this had gone on long enough. I wasn't about to let Russell kill someone over this research. It didn't matter anymore. So I pushed Edward out of the way. It hurt. A lot. I was finally able to tell Russell how wrong all of this felt though. He didn't really do anything though, just kind of staring at me in shock.

After that the guards started banging on the door, and I let another secret out. I was just tired of secrets, and I couldn't let the real Elric brothers be caught. So I made a giant tree with alchemy in order to block the door. No use hiding it now. Russell just stared at me when I was yelling at the Elrics to run.

I don't think that Russell ever heard me yell before today, although that's probably the last thing he was thinking that he never saw me do before today.

* * *

><p>Once he was over the shock Russell used the red stone to get rid of any of the red water still on me. He, of course, reminded me that dad didn't want me learning alchemy, but I didn't say anything to him. I wasn't going to stop, and I don't think that Russell was really going to try to stop me. It wasn't long after that that Mugear and his guards finally made their way into the room.<p>

We were thrown in the dungeon. At least, I guess that's what it was. Point is we were lock up and Mugear had known who we were the whole time. And stage two of the plan… I can't believe Russell never told me about it. I mean, I guess I can, but… that's just so horrible. At least our father had never actually gone through with it.

Ed and Al came and rescued us. They told Russell to stop chasing after our father's failed dreams. I'm glad they did, because even after everything I'd said to him, I don't think it had really sunk in yet.

After they left Russell said that we should go after them, just to make sure everything ended up okay.

* * *

><p>It's a good thing we did, because when we got there Mugear was trying to shoot them with his strange alchemic enhancer. We tied him up with vines, but he managed to escape into an underground tunnel. We followed him down there with the Elric brothers, all the way up to the spring where the red water flowed from.<p>

He had made a barrier, but had apparently forgotten he was up against four alchemist, a single wall wasn't going to do anything. None of us had to do anything while Ed took care of him though, although then the tunnel started to collapse.

When we came out of the tunnel, I hadn't even realized there was that much red water. It was flowing all down the sides of the mountain towards the town. Luckily Ed managed to create a giant stone barrier in order to cage it in.

I didn't even think twice when I had ran up the that tree and drew the transmutation circle. Russell had never paid too much attention to my part of the project, but I knew it would work. I'd never tried it on such a huge scale, but there wasn't any choice.

I'm so glad Russell accepted me being an alchemist and not clinging to every little tidbit of our father. It was destroying him, and I really don't know how much longer I could go hiding my alchemy.

* * *

><p>The Elrics left soon after everything calmed down. Bellseo offered us a job at his orchard. I'm glad that Russell accepted it. It wasn't like we had any place left to go. The people of the town were pretty sore about us lying to them all this time, but Russell says they'll get over it soon enough.<p>

Russell is actually very good at agricultural alchemy. Even though it hadn't been his main focus for year like me, we're definitely doing a good job helping with the orchard. Russell has also been paying a lot more attention to me. I think he's trying to be more like Ed.

It's kind of funny, ever since he first heard about the Fullmetal Alchemist, brother had been trying to be like him, with varied results. This is definitely not a bad thing anymore though.

I'm not sure if we're going to be staying here forever though. Russell had been getting kind of restless, and has been talking about traveling lately. I wouldn't mind it if we did. We've only ever been to Central and Xenotime, so seeing the world could be kind of fun. I would miss the orchard, but I think that even if we did leave, we'd end up coming back eventually. We don't really have anywhere else to go, after all.

* * *

><p>I found the journal when rummaging through some old boxes in Bellseo's attic. It belonged to our father, and he had written some very strange and interesting things in it. There was one page in particular that talked about an underground city and the philosopher's stone. When Russell decided it was time to go traveling, I made sure to take that page with me.<p>

If we ever ran into the Elric brothers again, I needed to give it to them. They had never told us exactly why they needed to find the philosopher's stone so bad, but I have a feeling it's important. Russell wonders about it a little bit too. He thinks it has something to do with Ed's automail, but I think it's more then that. They wouldn't be that selfish to go through everything they are for just one arm.

We're back in Central now. We haven't been here since we left, and it's almost like Russell's forgotten we ever lived here at all. He's in a bookstore right now, going crazy over all the alchemy books. As long as he doesn't spend all our money there, it should be fine.

* * *

><p>I can't believe Russell did that. I know it was just so he could get some books, but really? Pretending to be Ed <em>again?<em> As if the last time didn't get us into enough trouble, now we're locked in some jail cell. I kind of get the feeling that trouble is bound to follow anyone even pretending to be Ed and Al.

I also get the feeling that we should probably try harder to keep up with the news. Since when were Ed and Al wanted? Surely they hadn't done anything bad enough to be arrested on the spot. Whatever the reason, I just wish someone would realize we aren't actually them. Ed is much shorter then Russell, unless he grew recently, and his hair is long! As for Al, I barely reach half his height.

No one's listening to us though, and there isn't much else we can do.

* * *

><p>Some people who actually know Ed and Al came and let us out, but it wasn't really legally… Whatever it was that has the Elrics on the run though, is apparently exploding into some sort of revolution.<p>

Ed and some woman ran past the room we were hiding in, and Russell and I dragged them inside and hid the door again. I was really glad to see him again, and showed him the page from father's journal. It seemed to mean more then we even thought, because Ed seemed really surprised and showed the woman it, who was apparently his teacher. I was a little surprised that this woman was the one who'd taught him alchemy, but she certainly seemed tough.

The two people who'd freed us told us and Ed to leave now, before we were found. I didn't want to leave them in danger, but we didn't really have a choice. Russell and I weren't even all that sure what was going on. Ed told us to head to the place that the journal page talked about and wait for him, so that's where we're heading now.

I wonder where Al is. Ed didn't tell us, but I hope he's okay. Ed didn't tell us where he needed to go before meeting us at the old church either, but I hope it isn't dangerous.

Russell says he'll be fine, but Russell has always said a lot of things.

* * *

><p>When Ed showed up he didn't waist much time before opening the secret passage and heading down alone. Russell and I wanted to come. We really did, but he told us to stay. I wish we hadn't listened to him. There had to be a way we could of helped.<p>

We're sitting in the church now, with a bunch of people we don't really know. After what felt like forever we had finally heard someone heading up the stairs, but it wasn't Ed like we had hoped. It was some woman we'd never seen before with a baby strapped to her back and desperately trying to hold onto a boy who seemed to have very recently lost a few limbs.

Russell took the boy from her and laid him down on one of the benches before asking her what in the world had happened down there. So she told us.

I couldn't move. Al had died? Ed had too… but Al had brought him back to life. Russell just kept shaking his head, saying impossible over and over again. I certainly seemed that way. True, I hadn't known Al all that well, but they had been the ones to set out lives back on track.

Russell insisted on going back down into the city, to make sure Ed didn't do anything drastic. I agreed, but that Rose lady had said that he was going to destroy the place so no one could ever make a philosopher's stone again.

That was when the injured boy had spoke up for the first time, and said he was lying. There was no keeping us out of the city after that.

* * *

><p>We found Al. Or at least, he said he was Al once he stopped freaking out. I don't blame him, the last thing he remembered was being in his basement, and then he woke up surrounded by a bunch of people he didn't know in a place he'd never been before.<p>

Rose had told us why they had been searching for the philosopher's stone so badly, and I guess Ed managed to do it. Al was in his original body. I still can't believe that armor had been empty. He couldn't remember anything though, including us. We tried to explain who we were once he calmed down, but he just couldn't understand. He looked even younger then I am. He said he was ten.

Rose said that she was going to take him and the injured boy back to Resembool, where he had grown up. Russell and I wanted to come with them, but Rose didn't want us worrying Al anymore. She didn't really know who we were, and I think she was a little suspicious of us.

It didn't really matter in the end though, because whether we liked it or now, we didn't have enough money for a trip all the way to Resembool. We had no choice but to go back to Xenotime.

We said goodbye to Al, who had seemed to have warmed up to us at least a little bit, although he was still weary. We told him we hoped his brother was alright, which only seemed to confuse him, so we decided to just drop it.

We're on a train back to Xenotime now, and it's pretty much silent. Russell had told Ed to come back alive when he had left, and he hadn't. There isn't anything that we can do about that though, except go home and grow our plants.

* * *

><p>It's been a few months since the whole incident with Ed and Al in Central. Neither of us talk about it much, almost pretending that it didn't actually happen. We haven't heard from Al either, so it really can feel like it was all just a dream at times.<p>

It wasn't though, and Russell and I have way too bad a habit about pretending. Not that we can do much about it though. I want to send Al a letter, but I don't know his address. He probably wouldn't remember who I am anyway.

Life has been going on as normal, and Xenotime is slowly starting to spring back to life. It wont ever be like it was with the gold, but people are doing what they can. Bellseo said that the orchard wasn't the same without us, and I don't think Russell is that into traveling anymore. Not what with what happened last time.

We're still studying alchemy though, I don't think that will ever change. Russell branches out into different styles more then me, but I like my agricultural alchemy. I don't think Russell is going to become a state alchemist when he grows up. He used to want to when he was little, but I think he's content here, on the orchard.

As for me… Well, I'm not too sure. I don't think Russell would like it if I ever tried to become a state alchemist. I suppose I should respect my brother, I always have, and I guess that it shouldn't change now. If he doesn't want me to become a state alchemist, then I wont.

As far as he knows, at least.

* * *

><p>I hope you liked it and please review.<p> 


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